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Senate committee backs firearm safe-harbor bill to collect anonymized usage data
Summary
The Senate Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 27 unanimously recommended SB86, which would require anonymized counts of firearms voluntarily stored by law enforcement to be reported to CCJJ to assess program use and agency capacity.
Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment standing committee members voted Jan. 27 to favorably recommend Senate Bill 86, a measure to clarify privacy protections and begin collecting anonymized data on Utah's firearm safe-harbor program.
Sponsor and presentation: The sponsor described SB86 as “a very simple bill” designed to work with law enforcement to collect non-identifying counts of firearms temporarily stored during crises so the state can assess program size and resourcing needs. The sponsor said information provided to the Council on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ) will include only weapon counts, not names or identifying information.
Law-enforcement testimony: David Spadafore, representing the Utah Chiefs of Police Association and the law enforcement legislative committee, told the committee that surveys of 109 agencies produced responses from about 30, and roughly two-thirds said they currently offer safe-harbor storage. Spadafore said one rural agency is holding more than 200 firearms and that count grew about 20% in the last six months, arguing anonymized counts will show where additional capacity or grant support may be needed.
Privacy and data handling: Committee testimony emphasized that any records indicating which specific firearms were held would remain exempt from public disclosure and that the bill’s reporting is intended to be aggregate and anonymized after return of firearms to owners. The sponsor said the statute includes a sunset for the reporting period to allow a time-limited longitudinal study.
Committee action: Senator Hank Blueen moved to favorably recommend SB86 to the full Senate; the motion passed unanimously. The committee recorded unanimous support in the hearing, though individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript.
What happens next: The committee recommended SB86 to the full Senate for further consideration.
